The Line In the Sand

By E. M. Holloway

Justin St. John is the leader of the Lycan Tribunal, the most powerful and influential werewolf in the world. When he goes missing, his mate comes to Puck for help finding him. What seems to be a simple search and rescue ends up having more twists and turns than Puck had anticipated. Before long, he's in over his head with the local contingent of hunters, who suspect him of murder.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 15, 2018
• ISBN: 9781387518319

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The Line In the Sand

The Line in the Sand

The Sum of its Parts: Book Six

E. M. Holloway

to everyone trying to make the world better

Chapter One

It’s the day after Christmas, and all through the Schneider house, everyone is stirring. Loudly, and in Puck’s case, literally.

Puck is in the kitchen and the mixer is running, because somebody got him a waffle maker and he read somewhere that you can put cake batter in a waffle maker and make cake waffles. This is something that obviously demands attention right away. Jason and Devon are in the living room, playing video games. Connor is in his usual position, perched on the kitchen counter so he can sketch, and although he wouldn’t admit it, he’s singing along to the Christmas carols Puck is blasting on the radio. He has a passable baritone. Tom is in the garage, playing with a sanding belt he got and talking about building a cabinet or something. Carpentry is a hobby of his, not a skill, so nobody has high expectations of this cabinet, but he’s having fun. Graciela is working an overnight shift at the hospital, so it’s just the five of them. The rest of the pack is with their respective families, although Delaney is staying at Sophie’s because her mother is in Italy. It doesn’t seem to bother her.

Puck has just put the first of the batter in the waffle maker when he glances up suddenly. Connor notices and gives him a questioning look. I think there’s an alpha somewhere nearby, Puck says, and Connor nods and goes back to his sketch. The longer Puck is the alpha, and the larger and more powerful the pack gets, the more sensitive he’s becoming.

Gonna call Alex? Connor asks.

Nah. I’ll wait and see if something happens, Puck says. Alpha werewolves are people too, and sometimes they need to cross into his territory on their way through, or for human reasons. It’s considered polite to request permission first, but not everybody bothers. Besides, it’s Christmas. He doesn’t want to bother the Durands if he doesn’t have to, an attitude which he is five hundred percent sure Alex would not approve of.

Everything has been surprisingly quiet in the supernatural world lately. He had been able to spend his entire autumn semester without any issue. Even Alex agrees that things are calm. There are multiple reasons for this, and Puck knows that he himself is one of them. The alliance he’s managed to forge with Alex Durand has given others encouragement to try the same sort of thing. He’ll be the first to admit that plenty of werewolves just aren’t interested. Many have lost friends or packmates to the hunters, and aren’t going to give them the time of day. But some of the packs aren’t like that, and things are gradually shifting.

In addition to that, werewolves in general have been less violent lately. Alex has reported fewer incidences of young alphas losing themselves to their power, or people being turned without consent, and even smaller packs joining together to form large ones rather than recruiting new wolves. Alex isn’t sure what’s behind the change, and neither is Puck.

This alpha, whoever it is, lingers at the edge of his senses. They seem weak for an alpha. An alpha without a pack, Connor says, when Puck mentions this. He supposes it’s possible that an alpha might come here to try to kill Puck and take control of his pack. It would be an extremely foolish idea, but then, some people are fools. Puck is wondering how to go about suggesting they go back to the den for the night, with all its security and cameras, without freaking anybody out. Before he can make a decision, there’s a pounding at the front door.

Who could that be? Tom asks, coming in from the garage with sawdust all over the knees of his jeans.

Puck smacks the power button on the stereo as Connor hops off the counter, and heads for the door. He doesn’t argue when Connor steps in front of him, obviously intending to open the door himself. Some things he simply isn’t allowed, and ‘go first when there might be danger’ is one of them. Devon and Jason are up, too, the former standing straight for once, none of his usual hunched shoulders.

He’s not sure who he’s expecting, there are so many possibilities, but when Connor swings the door open, it reveals one of the last ones he would have guessed. A petite young woman with tanned skin, long black hair, and dark eyes framed by dark lashes stands there. Her name is Yasmin Ortega, and Puck hasn’t seen her for over a year and a half. That was when the Lycan Tribunal had given him his trial. Yasmin was the youngest, weakest, and least aggressive of the Tribunal pack – not that those descriptions meant much when talking about the strongest pack in the world.

The last time he had seen her, she had been standing tall and proud, with Justin’s arm looped around her waist. Now she’s glancing over her shoulder even as Connor opens the door. There are dark circles under her eyes, and her dark skin is a few shades paler than usual. Blood has stained her shirt in two separate places, and there’s a smear of it underneath one eye. She’s holding one arm gingerly across her chest.

Yasmin, Puck says, a little too surprised to manage anything else.

Yasmin heaves a sigh of relief that’s almost a sob. Puck, she says. I’m so sorry, I didn’t know where else to go, who else to turn to. I – I need – I can’t find Justin. I should always be able to find him and I can’t.

Puck knows from personal, painful experience how traumatizing being separated from one’s lupa can be. He stands back and says, Come in. Connor shuts the door behind her. Jason, Puck says, waving him forward.

Yeah. Jason drags over a chair and gets Yasmin sitting down. He takes her arm and squeezes it gently, and she lets out a little yip of pain. Broken, he says. The blood on her shirt is from what looks like claw marks.

Why isn’t it healing? Puck asks, mostly rhetorically.

Papa Schneider, can you get me a few pieces of wood from your workshop? Jason asks. About six or eight inches long, not too thick.

Sure, Tom says, and heads back out to the garage.

Puck drags another chair over so he can sit down facing Yasmin. Connor is at his shoulder, hovering. Yasmin, tell me what happened.

She takes a few deep breaths. "We were in Pennsylvania. In the Poconos. We had just finished a trial and were laying low for a few days, staying at one of the resorts. We were in the woods. Just playing. Burning off some energy. And . . . something attacked us. I never got a good look at it. It seemed . . . insect-like? But big. Really big.

"Justin shouted for me to run. I saw Mei – go down. I could smell her blood. And then I couldn’t see anything. It was so dark. So I ran. I ran until I couldn’t hear it anymore, and then I waited, and waited, but nothing happened. After about an hour, I tracked back to where we had been. But there was no one there anymore. Only a lot of crushed trees and foliage. And blood. I tried to find Justin, but . . . A wolf whine escapes her throat. I couldn’t. I can’t feel him anymore. He could be dead and I wouldn’t know."

I’m pretty sure you would know that, Puck says. What about the others?

Yasmin shakes her head. Because we’re all alphas, we don’t bond to each other the way a normal pack does. They could have been nearby and I wouldn’t have necessarily known. The smell of blood was so strong that it covered everything else.

How did you even get here? Devon asks.

I drove, she says. We had a car. I . . . I waited at the hotel for a day, but when nobody else showed up, I knew I had to do something. I couldn’t just sit around and wait for him to come back. She reaches out and clutches at Puck’s hands. Please. Please help me find Justin. I don’t know what else to do.

Yasmin, it’s going to be fine, Puck says firmly, glancing up as his father comes in with the pieces of wood. He hears Connor give an almost inaudible sigh behind him, but it doesn’t bother him. Connor knows him; he knows there’s no way he would leave a friend in danger or say no to a request like that. Connor’s hand brushes his shoulder, and then he wanders away, probably to contact the rest of the pack. We’re going to find Justin, okay? Now let Jason take care of your arm.

Yasmin swallows and nods. She grits her teeth as Jason takes her arm and, with help from Devon, gets the splint around it.

That creature has to be magical, Puck says, almost to himself. Given the way the wounds didn’t heal. Tell Delaney to make sure she brings the bestiary.

Connor nods and continues texting. Since the pack keeps getting larger, Puck has relied on him more and more to keep everyone calm and content. It’s not a problem, Connor says. Traditionally, that’s the role of the lupa in any case: to stand-in for the alpha if he’s too busy or his hands are full with someone else. The fact that Puck needs to delegate is the sign of a healthy pack – and it’s also a sign that Puck himself is becoming healthier, that he’s willing to let others help with things.

Once Yasmin’s arm is splinted, Jason doses her with some heavy-duty painkillers, and minutes later she’s asleep, curled up in a corner. She’s obviously exhausted, and Puck tries to keep everyone quiet although he doubts she’ll wake. By the time she’s asleep, the rest of the pack are showing up. Connor has given them the bare bones of what’s happened; Puck fills in the details.

So, he says, we are leaving for the Poconos. He looks at his watch. Tonight. It’s about a four hour drive, so we should get in around midnight. Is leaving right away going to be a problem for anybody?

I’ll have to go to the den and grab some supplies, Sophie says.

Puck nods. I’ll need some stuff from there too. I figured we’d take half an hour for everyone to talk to their parents and pack some stuff. Manisha, don’t antagonize your father. If he wants to talk to me, call me. Okay?

Yeah, fine, Manisha says, with a huff.

Puck glances around the room, considering, and then says, Jake, I think you had better stay here.

But - ! Jake protests.

Puck shakes his head. "I know that you want to be part of this pack, but you’re not, yet. And no offense, but you don’t have the same experience that the rest of us do. Tangling with something that can take down alphas is not going to be your first rodeo."

Jake slumps a little and says, Okay, but call me if you need, need research or anything, okay?

You got it, Puck replies.

Once the pack has dispersed, Puck goes up to his room to pack his stuff. Connor has headed back to the den, and Puck and Sophie both text him a list of things to grab. Devon decided to go with Connor and help him pack up. He trusts Jason to throw some of his clothes into a backpack for him.

Most of the weaponry is at the den, but Puck keeps his baseball bat and his gun with him at all times (barring school, where they don’t look kindly on such things). He packs those and a few clips of ammunition, then some clothes, including two of his red sweatshirts. Official pack business entails the need for the official clothes. Then he goes down to the kitchen and stuffs a cooler full of sodas, a bag full of chips and sandwiches for the drive, and two thermoses full of coffee. Jason will take care of medical supplies, so he doesn’t have to worry about that. Connor will grab his chain mail.

He feels woefully underprepared, but has no idea what he might be facing. They all have their protection charms, but he knows that those only protect them from long-range sorcery. It won’t defend them against a magical creature. He packs away a bag of European rowan dust, his vials of wolfsbane, and all the books he can fit into his laptop bag along with the computer itself. It makes him nervous to be leaving Arcadia Lake, where all his support is. But he won’t solve this mystery long-distance.

When he comes downstairs, Jason is back from his own house and has talked with his mother. He checks Yasmin’s temperature and says she doesn’t have a fever. She stirs underneath his hand. We’re leaving in a few minutes, Puck tells her, and her eyes fill with tears. When was the last time you ate?

I . . . I don’t even know, Yasmin says, and laughs a little. You must think I’m the most pathetic alpha ever.

Hardly, Puck says. I know what it’s like to have someone put a magical whammy and cut me off from my lupa, so I’m probably the only alpha you’d find who actually knows what you’re going through. It’s freaky as hell. But we are going to go find Justin’s lost ass, and then we’ll give him hell for scaring you. Right?

Right, Yasmin says, and lets out a breath. Food. And, uh, a weapon would be awesome. I won’t be able to fully shift with my arm splinted, I guess.

We’ll get you something when Connor gets back from the den, Puck says, and ushers her into the kitchen, where he can make her something to eat. Before long, Sophie, Connor, Manisha, and Devon have returned. Any problems at home? he asks Manisha, and she shakes her head. Okay. To Sophie, he adds, Yas needs a weapon. Something light.

Sophie nods and pulls out a taser. You know how to use one of these?

Yasmin nods and gives it a cursory examination before tucking it away in her jacket pocket. Thanks. Got a hair tie? she adds, pushing her long hair out of her face. Jesus, I’m a hot mess.

I’ll braid it for you, Manisha says.

While they’re doing that, Sophie turns to Puck and says, My mom wanted to warn you that once we cross the New York state border, we’ll be going off her territory. Her ability to help us will be pretty limited.

Any idea whose territory we’ll be on? Puck asks, thinking back to the hunters they had met at the conclave.

A woman named Stella Jones. Mom says she’s not friendly to shifters and to try not to deal with her if we don’t have to.

Puck grimaces a little. It makes a situation which already isn’t ideal into something he’d prefer to actively avoid. There isn’t much he can do about it besides hope that this is some internally supernatural matter he can deal with himself, without involving the hunter community.

Connor and Devon start loading up Puck’s SUV. Yasmin’s car is a midsize sedan, so it’ll be easy enough to fit all of them in the two cars. Puck is about to help them, when his father pulls him aside. If you get in trouble over there, I won’t be able to help you very much, he says.

Puck nods, wishing that everyone would stop driving this point home. I know.

Be careful, kid.

Puck hugs him, hard. I will be. I promise.

~ ~ ~ ~

Puck decides to ride with Yasmin and let Jason drive his SUV. Connor goes with him, as does Delaney. Puck asks her to come with him as she’s the most diversely knowledgeable about the supernatural world. He takes the time to pump Yasmin’s memory for any scrap of detail that she can remember. Things she smelled, the sounds the monster made, anything she might have heard or seen at the hotel the day before that was out of the ordinary.

I don’t know if I’m being very helpful, she says at one point, as Puck taps away at his phone.

I don’t know if you are either, yet, Puck says, but you never know what might come in handy.

They drive straight through beyond a brief pause for a bathroom break and for Jason and Sophie to switch places in the other car. Aw, hell, remind me to text Gwen, he says, just after they cross the Pennsylvania border. I was supposed to have an appointment tomorrow.

Who’s Gwen? Yasmin asks sleepily.

Puck glances at her and says, She’s my therapist. It’s a tone of voice that almost dares her to giggle.

She doesn’t. She gives him a sideways look and then says, Maybe that’s why you’re so much better at holding your shit together than half the alphas we meet. Because you can actually admit you need a therapist.

Back when I really needed one, I couldn’t admit it, Puck says dryly, but lets it go. How’s the Tribunal business going lately? I guess the question ‘do you have any enemies’ is both necessary and probably impossible to answer.

No, it . . . it hasn’t been that bad lately, actually. Yasmin reaches for the coffee she got at their last rest stop, tastes it, and makes a face at how tepid it is. Justin’s kind of been changing things up. I mean, it’s not like there was ever an official rule book we needed to follow. And he hated anything that made him like Kendra.

Changing things up, how? Puck asks, frowning.

He introduced a middle ground. A probationary period. Yasmin takes another drink of her coffee. "So many of the alphas we met – not just since he became the leader, but back while Kendra and even Trevor were in charge – were terrible alphas, but not because they were terrible people. They just didn’t know any better. You stumbled into doing things right most of the way, but it’s